Quick-break switch.



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@um BREAK SWITCH,

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f lg- E Hom/w 15 A llhl'lTE@ Pellilblll ALEXANDER K. SUTHEBZAND, OF NEW BRITAIN, CON'hl'ECTCl-Ul essi-"iron 'rHE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F FLAI ll'laftf, G0351" ."L'ECTI GUT, .A CORPORATION VF CONNECTICUT. l

QUICK-BREAK SWITCH.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it lrnown that l, ALEXANDER K. SorrinnLAND, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Quick-Break Switch, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to switches of the quick break type, and aims to simplify and improve switches or this generalchai acter.

Other objects are to produce a switch structure which can be easily assembled, which will be quick and positive in its action and which will be of sturdy construction throughout.

In brief, the invention comprises pivoted switch blades and a cranked operating mein ber therefor, said operating1 member being connect-ed to the free ends of the switch blades through the instrumentality of a special bracket haring a slot receiving the operating crank to form a lost motion connection, and having a lug with which is engaged one end of a throwingspring, whose opposite end is connected .with the operating crank.

Another feature of the invention is a special construction of operating member con.- prising a handle having aliub journaled in the wall of the box which is usually provided to inclose the switch, and. a rod anchored in the hub at the inside of the box and provided with an angularly extending arm engaging in the slot and forming the operating crank described.

Other features will appear as the speciiication proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying the specili cation, I have illustrated my invention embodied in a practical concrete forni, but it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications without de* parture from the true spirit and scope thereof.

Figure l is a plan View of the switch as mounted in the switch box, the cover of the box being open to expose the switch andthe switch being shown in the open circuit posltion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented luly 2, i913.

serial no. 200,236.

ig. 2 is s. side view et' the switch bon in closed position and the switch in the closed circuit position.

' Figs. 3 and 4l are enlarged .sectional views taken substantially on the plane of the .line {2*4 of Fig. l to illustrate the operation or the switch throwing: spring.

The switch illustrated of the three-blade type embodyingthree parallel switch blades 5 pivoted at one end, il, en posts i", and engaging at their free ends with the switch contacts or clips 8. free end portions of the switch blades are 'connected in the usual wa;7 by a cross bar Sl of insulating matV terial, and the parts thus far described are mounted on a base l() of suitable insi'ilating material.

The quick break mechanism comprises e. bracket ll mounted on the insulating cross bar 9 provided with an opstanding lng' l2 having ari singularly extending slot i3 therein to receive the arm la of a suitable operat` ing member, and a coil spring which is connected between the operatiu ann le a dependent anchorage lug l5 on the bracket. v

The operating' member, in the inclosed type of switch illustrated, comprises a han die l? having a hub l journaled in thel side wall of the switch housing or casing i9 substr urtiallj,T in line with the switch pivot G', and the arm la which is connectedL ith said hub by means of the angularly bent portion 20 which is seated in an opening provided therefor in the inner'end portion of the limb.

This operating arm lll' may be formed from ordinary rod stock ol' the proper length bent -to provide the supporting1 portion 2G for en gageinent in the hub or" the handle.

ln the case of three-bladed switches, such as illustrated, it may be desirable to duplicate the bracket constructions to thereby provide connections with the movable switch element at points between the switch blades. In Fig. 3 the switch is shown in the closed circuit position, the handle 17 bevi g been rocked forwardly, as indicated in c, so as to cause the operating arm 14, by ngagement with the'wall at the forwardv end of the slot 13, to force the switch bledee into .ture into a quick irzn engagement with the switch contacts.

When the switch is to be opened, the handle l? is swung in the reverse direction or toward the leit't in Fig. 2. This causes the o H .1 of thec angularly disposed slot 13 until it brings up against the wall at the -rearward end of said slot whereupon a positive connection is provided between the operating mechanism and the movable switch element. The movable switch element `then moves the springs preparatory to the snapping of the switch to off position.

The brackets 11 may be secured to the cross bar by any suitable means such as the bolts or screws 21, the brackets being ordinarily shaped to .tit the cross bar. In the illustration the cross bar is angular in cross section and the bracket is made with a ilat base portion seating on top of the cross bar, a dependent side portion 22 extending down across the rear side of the cross bar and terminating in the spring anchorage lng 16 and the upstanding slotted lug l2. is struck up ,at one end of the [lat base portion of the bracket. In this way the bracket may be made from a single piece ot' sheet metal and may be mounted by simply placing it on the cross bar and applying the securing screw thereto.4 It is then only necessary to connect the throwing spring between the anchorage lug 16 and the operating arm 14.

The cover 23 of the box, in the case of the inclosed switch, is suitably secured, inthe present instance, by means of a spring pressed latch 24e engaging a shoulder 25 on the dependent flange of the cover, said latch being autonnitically withdrawn when the switch is opened by means of a retracting,T lever 2G having an angular end portion 27 disposed in a position to be engaged by the parf- 20 as the handle is 'thrown to open the switch (sce Fig. l).

My invention, it will be seen, provides a very simple and relatively inexpensive means for transforming an ordinary switch strucbreak switch and the device is entirely practical in every respect.

l claim:

1. ln a quick break switch, a switch blade pivotally supported at one end. a switch .contact irictionall)y engaged by the opposite free end ot the switch blade, a bracket mountcd on the free end portion et' the switch blade and insula ted therefrom, said bracket Lent-ec having 'a dependent spring anchorage and an upstanding lug slotted in the general direction of the switch opening movement, a switch operating member working in said slot, and a spring connected between said operating member and the spring anchorage on the bracket.

2. In a quick break switch, parallel switch blades pivotally supported at one end, an insulating cross bar connecting the free ends of said switch blades, switch contacts frictionally engaged by the free end port-ions of the switch blades, a bracket on the insulating cross bar having a spring anchorage and an upstanding slotted lug, an operating meinber working in the slot in said upstanding lug and a spring connection between said operating member and the spring anchorage ot' the bracket. f

3. ln a quick break switch, substantially parallel switch blades pivotally supported at one end, an insulating cross bar connecting the tree 'ends of said switch blades, switch contacts frictionally engaged by the free end portions of the switch blades, ax

bracket secured on the insulating cross bar between the switch blades having a dependent spring anchorage and an npstanding lug provided with a slot extending rearwardly toward the plane et' the switch pivot, an operating shaft journaled substantially concentric to the switch blade pivot and provided with a cranked portion working in the slot aforesaid, and a switch snapping spring connected between the sprii'lganchorage of the bracket and said cranked portion of the operating shaft.

ln a switch .of a switchl box, an. external operating handle havinga huh portion journaled in one wall of the box into the interior of the box, a rod having one end seated in saidinternally disposed hub portion ot the handle and larly to extend from the plane of said wall inward into the body of the box, a switch mounted in said box and comprising pivoted I switch blades and switch contacts frictionally engaged thereby the pivotal axis of said switch blades being substantially concentric to the pivoted hub of the operating handle, a lost motion connection between the inwardly projecting portion of the rod free ends of the switch blades, and a spring connection between said inwardly extended portion of the rod and said switch blades. l

5. In a switch ot the character described, a switch box, an external operating handle having a hub portion journaled in one wall ot' the box and extending through lsaid wall into the interior of the box, a rod having one end seated in said internally disposed hub portion ot the handle and bent angularly to extend `trom thc plane of said wall inward into the body ot' the box, a` switch mounted the character described,

and the bent anguim 1,520 a in said box and comprising pivotA fl switch anchorage lug and an upstandng lug slotblnde :1nd switch contacts friotionally ented to receive the inwardly extending porgaged thereby, the pivotal axis of said switch tion of the bent rod and a spring connected 10 blades being substantially concentric to the between said portion of the rod and the 5 pivoied hub of the operating handle, a Spring anchorage lug aforesaid. bracket secured to the free swinging end of ille switch blades having :i dependent Spring ALEXANDER K. SUTHERLAN D. 

